Final weeks of Rooted in Change

Final weeks of Rooted in Change: discover the DSM art collection

The exhibition Rooted in Change: DSM art collection is on view at SCHUNCK Museum in Heerlen until 1 March. This is your last chance to discover a remarkable art collection that remained largely behind closed doors for many years.

In spring 2024, dsm-firmenich donated the core of this extensive corporate collection to the municipality of Heerlen. As a result, one of the oldest and most prominent corporate collections in the Netherlands officially became public heritage. With Rooted in Change, we celebrate this special moment and show how artworks once displayed in meeting rooms and workplaces take on new meaning in the museum.

Three locations, one story

The exhibition unfolds across three locations in the city. Together, they tell one story about art, industry, and change:

• SCHUNCK Museum (Glaspaleis), focusing on the contemporary part of the collection;
• Heerlen Town Hall, featuring early works from the collection;
• The Dutch Mining Museum, where past and present come together.

You will encounter paintings, photography, video, and sculpture from different periods. The works reveal how art evolved alongside a changing society.

Art rooted in Heerlen

Rooted in Change is deeply connected to Heerlen and the region. The collection grew alongside a city shaped for decades by industry and mining. In the exhibition, you will discover not only national and international artists, but also local makers. Their work touches on themes such as labor, landscape, identity, and transformation.

For example, you can see work by Jack Ruebsaet, in which natural growth and rootedness symbolize resilience and connection to place. By giving space to personal stories from the community, the exhibition tells not only the story of a company, but also that of Heerlen and its residents.

Would you like to experience this special collection? Plan your visit before 1 March and discover how art and history come together in the city.